would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this lovely book

based in the early frontier years eleanor answers an ad to become a wife to a lonely miner in idaho springs colorado but when he disappears one night leaving her with her son to fend for themselves eleanor decides to retreat from everyone and their judgmental ways and just concentrate on her son..... its a hard life for her and takes in washing to keep afloat

julia holte is the tom boy of the family and not at all like her dainty sister but they love each so much that when things become to much julia decides to travel with her sister and new hubby to idaho springs to start a new life for themselves

julia though cant resist a challenge and is soon in trouble with the sheriff and finds herself most days in jail just because he can.... the sheriff has taken an instance dislike to julia and her ways and has taken it upon himself to police her activities to the hilt....

as julia and eleanor get to know each from the mining office they each recognise a need in each other.... but with the sherriff breathing down their necks and the judgement of the town its not easy for them to become friends ....

ohhh man this storyline was very addictive love a good cowboy/western storyline and this one hit the right buttons for me...early life settlers did have it hard but as the town mostly pulled together it was great to see this one doing that as well....

my second book by this author and this one is my favourite by far

Discovering Gold is the first story I have read by this author. This is an historic sapphic novel, set in the 1930s of a mining town in Colorado. We meet Eleanor who wakes up to find her husband has abandoned her and her young son, shunned by gossip of not being able to keep a husband she learns to survive by becoming the sole provider to her asthmatic son. By chance she meets Julia an ex rancher who now lives here with her family to restart her own life following her own tragic mistakes, charmed and intrigued by the cowgirl a spark of something blooms between them.

This was very well written but for me the pace was slow and some of trauma and self blame at times just felt a too much and repetitive. It is a slow burn however I think this works for the setting the tone of the story, it’s not a modernist tale so both MCs do have to be careful as god fearing and gossip could ruin them both. I can’t say I really felt the tension of both of them yearning for each other but it was a sweet coming together of found family and community.

This was a gentle read of trust, longing and the possible consequences of actions, very hallmark worthy. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for an opportunity to read this as part of an ARC prior to realise in the 13th May.

Eleanor and Julia made a wonderful couple, and Peter was a sweetie. The secondary characters were well developed, as well as the MC’s. The story was interesting and I was anxious to discover the conclusion. I am not familiar with the author, but I look forward to reading more of her work.